MIDDLE EAST HISTORY TEST REVIEWOTTOMANS TO MANDATES

WHAT WAS ISTANBUL’S FORMER NAME AND WHY WAS IT CHANGED?

Constantinople—it was changed because when the Ottomans (a Muslim Empire) took over the land, they did not want their capital city to be named after a Christian (Constantine the Great).

WHICH COUNTRIES WERE INVOLVED IN ESTABLISHING THE MANDATES IN THE MIDDLE EAST AFTER WWI?

Great Britain and France were given the mandates by the League of Nations and they divided up the land that used to be the Ottoman Empire

WHY DID THE MANDATES CAUSE CONFLICT?

ARTIFICIAL BOUNDARIES! They divided the Middle East without regard for ethnic/religious diversity or for the people who actually lived there. Also, some groups felt left out of the new boundary lines and started rebellions.

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE MANDATE SYSTEM?

To divide the former Ottoman territory into new, independent countries. The Europeans determined when this would occur.

WHAT WAS THE SYKES-PICOT TREATY? This was a secret document/agreement

between Great Britain, France, and Russia that divided up the former Ottoman territory between those countries. They had a plan to divide the land BEFORE the war was even over!

LIST SEVERAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE:

They gained important cities and control of trade routes

They trained a strong slave army—The Janissaries

They had land, power, and wealth They developed gunpowder and

advanced weapons They had centralized power, family rule,

and strong leaders

LIST SOME REASONS FOR THE FALL OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE:

Economic problems/debt to Europe Refusal to modernize The Janissaries became too expensive to maintain They were fearful of change and Western

influences They would not use the printing press, allow

foreign languages to be studied, or allow foreign embassies

They joined the Germans on the losing side of WWI

WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE MANDATE SYSTEM AND HOW DID IT CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST?

It divided up the former Ottoman territory into new countries that were to be given their independence by the British/French later on.

The land was divided without regard for ethnic/religious diversity in that area.

Conflicts still arise because minority groups are exploited/ignored/persecuted by the majority.